Access to the USC Upstate archives is by appointment only. All users must register and request items in advance by email. Archives staff may decide to provide digital access to collection materials in lieu of an in-person visit. For assistance please contact: libarch@uscupstate.edu.or make an appointment.
Getting Started
The Archives and Special Collections is home to the University of South Carolina Upstate Libraries’ rare books, archives, and manuscript collections requiring care and control that cannot be provided in the open stacks. It houses a variety of materials and several special collections that help to promote knowledge and understanding of the history, programs, and goals of USC Upstate as well as the upstate region of South Carolina. The Archives is separated into two distinct areas: University Archives, and Archives of the Upstate.
The University Archives attempts to collect, as comprehensively as possible, those records that have enduring value documenting the history of USC Upstate, its programs, services, and constituencies. The emphasis for the Archives of the Upstate is the collection and retention of materials that document the history of the geographical area of which USC Upstate is a part -- specifically the ten-county area that includes Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and Union Counties.
The archives reading room is located on the second floor of the library in room 261.
Access to all of the materials and collections is by appointment only, and may not be immediate.
- Archives faculty or staff will pull requested materials; no browsing is allowed.
- All Materials in the Archives are non-circulating.
- Some materials may have restrictions on photocopying and scanning depending on content and/or condition.
General guidelines for researchers using the Archives and Special Collections Reading Room:
- Only pencils may be used in the Reading Room. NO pens, markers, highlighters, or other writing utensils are allowed.
- NO FOOD OR DRINKS ARE ALLOWED IN ARCHIVES READING ROOM.
- Computers or tablets, digital cameras, and research notes may be used at the research tables.
- Under certain circumstances, researchers may be allowed to digitally photograph Archival materials themselves. Before doing so, please consult with Archives staff for information regarding the Camera Use Policy. Personal scanners are not allowed.
- Researchers may request up to three (3) items/boxes at a time. Only one (1) item/box is allowed at the research table at any time. No requests for materials will be honored within 30 minutes of the scheduled closing time for the Archives.
The full Reading Room Use Policy can be found in the linked PDF document below.
Ann Merryman
Assoc. Librarian; Coordinator of Archives and Special Collections
merrymaa@uscupstate.edu
864-503-5275
Ann holds a B.A. in Business and Economics from Benedictine University and an MLIS from the University of South Carolina. She has more than 24 years of business experience in the public sector prior to joining USC Upstate. Her primary responsibility in the library is managing the University Archives and Special Collections, with a secondary role as a reference librarian. She has been instrumental in elevating the University Archives into a collection that is open, usable, and connected not only to the university but also to the surrounding community, as well as developing the foundations of a digital collections presence at Upstate. Her professional interests include leveraging partnerships among smaller repositories, and advocating for the continued expansion of both the University Archives and the University Library.
Master of Library and Information Science from Florida State University. She has worked in a variety of positions in both public and academic libraries, but primarily as an Archives and Special Collections Librarian working with rare books and manuscripts. She has been at USC Upstate since 2017 and works part time on the Reference desk and in the University Archives.
Michael graduated from Winthrop University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English-Creative Writing. He works in the Archives and Special Collections as an archives assistant where he processes, documents, and preserves a variety of material to help promote the knowledge and understanding of the history of both USC Upstate and the Upstate region of South Carolina.